


Letting Go

by Jestana



Series: Femslash February 2020 [10]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Don't copy to another site, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:41:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22661926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jestana/pseuds/Jestana
Summary: After a darkspawn attack, one remains. One that Laina Maharielknows.
Relationships: Female Mahariel/Tamlen (Dragon Age), Leliana/Female Mahariel (Dragon Age), Leliana/Female Warden (Dragon Age)
Series: Femslash February 2020 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1619869
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11
Collections: Femslash February





	Letting Go

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Femslash February 2020. The prompt is 'hurt/comfort'.
> 
> The major character death in the warnings is a canonical death, but painful all the same.

Once the last Darkspawn fell dead, they took a few moments to catch their collective breath. Laina shivered, wishing for her armor, since the attack had happened in the middle of the night (of course). "Oh, Maker, maybe I should sleep in my armor now."

"It won't be comfortable," Leliana told Alistair with a sly smile.

He folded his arms across his bare chest. "I'll be better protected in case of another night attack."

"Qunari do not typically wear armor," Sten observed flatly.

As the others continued to bicker, movement at the edge of the firelight caught Laina's attention. Moving towards it on light feet, she noticed the gleam of moonlight on a bald head. _Darkspawn? Why isn't it attacking?_ As her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, Laina drew in a breath. _It can't be..._ "Hello?"

"Ma vhenan..." The beautiful fluid Elven words were harsh and hoarse from the ghoul.

Laina shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "Oh, Creators, no."

"Laina! Move back!" Leliana called, an arrow nocked and her bow drawn.

She turned and caught Zevran as he tried to move past her. "No, don't."

"He is darkspawn," Zevran reminded her.

Laina shook her head. "I... think I know him."

"If you're sure." He reluctantly lowered his daggers and stepped back with the others.

Turning back to the darkspawn, Laina cautiously moved closer. "Tamlen?"

"Don't come closer, Laina," he replied, holding up his hands as if to ward her off. "Stay away!"

She moved closer anyway. "I've missed you, Tamlen."

"I'm sick, Laina." He kept shaking his head. "Don't--don't!"

Hesitantly, she reached out and took his hands. "We can help you. We can make you better."

"There is no help... none for me." Tamlen didn't pull away, but neither did he clasp her hands in return. "There's a song... it keeps telling me... to hurt... kill."

Laina couldn't stop a sob, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I lost you once already, ma vhenan."

"You can't save..." the familiar blue-gray eyes bore into hers, pleading. "Stop me, ma vhenan."

He tried to pull away from her, but she wouldn't let go, so they tumbled to the ground in a heap of tangled limbs. "Are you _sure_ , Tamlen? You won't let us try?"

"Stop me, Laina." A shaking hand lifted to touch her cheek, tracing her vallaslin "Ma ghilana mid din'a, ma vhenan."

Nodding, Laina blindly held out one hand for someone to give her a dagger. Much to her surprise, _two_ were placed in her hand at the same time. When she looked at them, one was Zevran's and the other was Leliana's. Looking up at them, she gave them a solemn nod before looking back at Tamlen. "Ir abelas, ma vhenan. Ar lasa mala revas." With that, she plunged both daggers into his chest, feeling as if they were sinking into _her_ heart. "Ar lath ma, vhenan."

"Ma serannas, vhenan." In that last moment, as Tamlen's blood spilled out of his chest and across the ground, an inexplicable, _beatific_ smile spread across his Blight-tainted face.

Cradling Tamlen's lifeless body in her arms, Laina began to sob, grieving anew for his death. Until now, she'd tried to be a strong and steady leader for the others. For the first time since setting out from Ostagar, Laina let herself truly grieve: for Tamlen, for Duncan, King Cailan, and everyone lost to the darkspawn.

*

After they laid Laina's friend to rest in proper Dalish fashion, Leliana carefully hugged her lover. "We should clean up. We're both a bit of a mess."

Laina managed a watery chuckle. "Yeah, I think these pajamas are a lost cause."

"Perhaps." Leliana chuckled and led her back to their camp, intending to retrieve fresh clothes on the way to the stream they'd been using.

Morrigan called to them, "Leliana, Laina, in here."

"What is it, Morrigan?" Leliana asked, hesitating outside the tent she and Laina had been sharing with Morrigan and Wynne.

"Wynne and I thought that Laina would benefit from a proper hot bath," Morrigan explained, pulling the tent flap aside.

Ducking inside, they found a large tub of water steaming gently inside, fire runes drawn on the sides. "Merci, Morrigan."

"I hope it helps." The flap fell shut and Leliana quickly secured it.

That done, she poked Laina. "Clothes off."

"Bossy," Laina muttered, even as she stripped off her pajamas which were stained and stiff with Blighted blood. Even her smallclothes were hopelessly stained and those quickly joined her pajamas. Laina stepped into the tub and sank into the hot water with a sigh. "So nice."

Leliana considered the tub for a moment before stripping down, too. "Scoot forward a little, please, Laina."

"Mmm." Her lover scooted forward and Leliana sat down behind her. When she tugged the elf back towards her, Laina willingly lounged back against Leliana. "Hmm, soft."

Chuckling, Leliana kissed her cheek. "Merci." She carefully scrubbed Laina clean, washing away every trace of darkspawn blood from her skin. When Leliana finished, she cleaned herself in turn. Whatever magic Morrigan and Wynne had used ensured the water remained fresh and warm. So, once both women were clean, Leliana drew Laina into her arms and just held her. "I'm here, Laina."

"Just hold me, Leli," Laina requested quietly, covering Leliana's arms with hers. "Don't leave me alone."

Leliana nodded, kissing the back of Laina's neck. "Mais oui."

"Ma serannas."

**Author's Note:**

> Glossary
> 
> Ma ghilana mid din'a: Guide me into death, my heart.  
> Ir abelas, ma vhenan. Ar lasa mala revas: "I am filled with sorrow for your loss, my heart." "You are free."/ "I give you your freedom."  
> Ar lath ma, vhenan: "I love you, heart/my heart"  
> Ma serannas: My thanks./Thank you.


End file.
